Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story – Episode 2 Recap & Review

Spree

Episode 2 of Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story starts with the sound of gunshots and more context around Lyle and Erik’s night after killing their parents. They return in silence, before eventually putting on a façade and pretending to be distraught.

Two detectives, Zoeller and Linehan, show and they take the boys to the police station. The duo whisper about who will be interviewed first… and it’s Erik. While he gives his side of the story (completely fabricated of course), the detectives figure out that the deaths were at around 10pm and the call made by the brothers at 11.47pm.

The thing is the mob would have left Kitty alive, and the detectives doubt the validity of the hit, given the mafia aren’t as sloppy as this. After giving their statements, Erik and Lyle are allowed to head home. Unfortunately, Erik claiming the room is full of smoke in his interview doesn’t add up to the fact there’s a window blown out.

In terms of motivations, we’re led to believe that there’s no inheritance money for either of them after an argument in the past with Jose. This, unwittingly coupled with a potential lead in a porn producer shot 9 times after being at their house earlier in the day, seems to let Lyle and Erik off the hook.

The pair decide to splash the cash, living their best lives, while the detectives are desperate to solve the case. The media are hounding them for answers and every day that passes, it’s more pressure piling up. Murders like this don’t happen in Beverly Hills and distrust in the police is growing every day. The chief demands results on this case as all their asses are on the line.

However, the real kicker here for the brothers happens to be the will. They know that it may well say they don’t get any money. Erik is rattled and troubled, while Lyle shrugs it off, believing they can handle this.

Carlos, their brother-in-law, is the executor of the will here, and when he flies in the next day, they get the safe open. Turns out, there is no Will inside. Instead, it’s the maid, Flor, who finds it while cleaning up their house. Within this document, it confirms that the pair do, in fact, get everything.

Fast forward two months and we catch up to the moment we ended episode 1. Erik doesn’t want to kill his therapist, and Lyle eventually agrees to his brother’s concerns. However, they need to keep him close and make sure he doesn’t talk.

Back at the station, the detectives run through a series of different scenarios around who killed Jose and Kitty Menendez. Although there are theories relating to different gangs, a lot of the officers believe it’s Lyle and Erik. They bemoan not checking the brothers’ fingers for gunpowder residue that night, before receiving a tip-off from one of Erik’s close friends.

Remember the Billionaire Boy’s Club? Well, Erik had been writing a screenplay about killing his parents, and confided in his best friend around this. Craig works with the police and agrees to meet Erik for dinner that night. He’s wearing a wire and the idea here is to try and catch him out with a confession. Erik doesn’t fall for it and the whole conversation is pretty tense, as Erik refuses to open up.

Dr Oziel has an insurance policy in place with the brothers when they show back up at therapy that night. He’s going to be recording their sessions and also confirms he has their confessions hidden in several safety deposit boxes. If anything happens to him, then they’ll be leaked. He has the brothers are right where he wants them. Unfortunately, the wildcard here is his mistress, Judalon. She doesn’t feel safe at home so talks Oziel into letting her stay at his place. Damn, talk about a powder keg situation.

Inevitably, everything blows up when Judalon starts rearranging the furniture, has mad mood swings and even tells Oziel’s daughter that she’s going to replace her mother. Oziel kicks her out but she threatens him with exposing the brothers. And that’s precisely what she does, as she heads straight to the police station.

The Episode Review

With the Will sorted and the brothers seemingly in the clear, all of this falls back on Dr Oziel and his mistress, Judalon. She’s going to be the downfall of these two, especially as she doesn’t really have as much to lose as Oziel does. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. Oziel handing over his business card too, is indicative of how he’s opportunistic and believes he can use these boys to his benefit.

As for the brothers, seeing the stark differences between Erik and Lyle is fascinating, especially how they both react to the death of their parents. They always say it’s the quiet ones you need to watch out for and that much is especially true when it comes to Erik.

Unfortunately for them, it seems like the police are now going to be intensifying their search for the brothers. But what does that mean for Dr Oziel and Judalon’s safety?